Railway-switch.



A. V. SUHARWENKA. RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 10, 191.4. v 1,109,943. Patented sept. 8, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

*ne* NORRls PETERS CO.. PHOTD-LITHD..'WASHING1UN. IJA C.

A. V. SCHARWENKA. RAILWAY SWITCH. PPLIOATION FILED JUNE1o,1914.

l, 109,943, Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lllllm l rHE MORRIS PEYERS Cn.. PHoaLlr/MQ. wAsHlNumH n i The accompanying drawings form a part 50 if tion, the plane, of section being indicated Y ball whom 'it may concern.'

' Y: ADOLF V. SCHAEVENKA, OF NEW-YORK, N. Yr

Bc it known that I, Anonr V. SCHAR- WENKA, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of NewfYorl, borough of Manhattan, in the county and Stateof New York, have invented a certain new and -useful Improvement in Railway-Switches, of

lzo

which the following is a-speciiCation.

rlhe invention relates to the operation of movable-frog double slip switches, and the main object of the invention is to provide means for throwing the frog-points and endpoints from a single stand by the single movement of a lever.

` Another important object is to provide a positive automatic locking means for holding the switch-operating mechanism and the switch-points `relialoly in the several positions to which they are thrown.

A further object is to provi y' which the mechanism ,is inclosed and protected, and whichA may be located below the level of the top of the rail, thus permitting installation in electrified yards.

AAnother object is to provide an inexpen-v siveand easily replaced portion adapted to be broken and relieve the strains without serious damage to they mechanism when the frog-points are accidentally lrun through by a locomotive or car. j

The invention consists incertain novel features of construction and arrangement by which the above objects are attained, to be hereinafter described and claimed.

l. of this specification, and show an approve form of the invention.

Figures l, 2 and' 3 are diagrammatic plan rangement and positions of the movable points, with the operating lever, inthe three conditions of two straight movements and the double-slip movement. Fig. 4c is a planv viewon a larger scale, showing the switchstand with the coverremoved. Fig.l 5 is an I rail.

end elevation of the same,\showing the location of the stand relatively to an adjacent Fig. 6 is a corresponding side view. Fig. 7 is a verticalv section partly vin elevaby the une 7 7 in ing. 4.- Figs. a, 9, io

and 11, are vertical sections, partly in elesimilar view showing a. portion of the lockdea switch stand .of simple inexpensive construction in i f l Y nAiiiwAYswIToi.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. k8, 1914. l appiication tied rune io, 1914. rserial No. 844,130.

.ing device. Fig. 13 is a corresponding view showing the-breakable bearing for the shaft. VFig. 14, is ak vertical section on alarger scale, cori'espondmg to. Fig. 7 but yshowing', the parts in transition from one po- Y sition to another. Fig. lis a cross-section through they switch-operating shaft, showing a portion of the-lever in elevation.

Similar letters of reference indicatev the i same parts in all the figures.

i j The switch-stand comprises a shallow rectangular box or receptacle A cast with a base plate or flange A1 vlby which it may be securely fastened to the lties or other support, and having a cover A2 protecting the :mechanism contained in the stand.' Itmay be locatednear the traclr'and its vertical height and that ofthe contained mechanism vis `so little as to permitits installation at or below the level of the rail-tread if desired. 'Extending through the boXlis a horizontal shaft B supported in suitable bearings therein, and projecting at one end'to receivel a split lever 'B1 B2 by which the shaft may be turned through an arc of approximately 200, or a little more than complete half turn. At a rightangle to the shaft, and below the latter, are two bars'or slides C1 projecting through the opposite side-walls I,of the box and shapedVv at theends to be coupled to the connecting-rods M, M1, M2 by Vwhich the points are thrown, as will be described.V A portion near" the midlength ofv each'isftoothed to form a rack C2 C13 adapted `to be engaged by the teeth of segmental pinions E and D1 each mounted on the shaft y above its slide. v

l On the inner margin of each slide is an enlargement or wing, D2- D3,each having Atwo separated Veshaped notchesor cavities marked Z (Z1, and 'd2 Icl3 respectively, and E, E*L are vertically swinging dogs mounted on pivots e'felbeneaththe' shaft B, andy each shaped on itsunde'r face to engagefeither' of the pairfofcavities presented -by the endwise movement ofits slide and Vhold the latter at eachl extreme of suoli movement.

AThe shaft 'B carries two circular disks or" cams E2. E3 located above the dogs and each vadapted to-engage peripherallyI the 'upper face of its dog `andvhold it 1in engagement with its cavity until released by the presentation of an omitted or cut-away portion of the cam, as'at E? E5,'which permits the dog to lift by the action of-the inclined side of ,the cavity against the correspondingly inclined side of the dog when its slide is moved longitudinally. p

F is a disk mounted on the shaft B, hav` ing three notches f, f1, f2 in its periphery Y.

adapted to be engaged by a locking-lever F1 pivotally mounted on the plate A1 within the box, and weighted as at F2 to insure automatic engagement with the notch presented and thus hold the shaft. The lever F1 is released by the lifting action of the toe G1 of a foot-lever G extending through an opening in the end of the box, pivotally mounted on the plate A1 and operated by pressure on a foot-plate G2 formingthe short armof the foot-lever. The toe G1 lies beneath the weighted arm of the locking-lever and lifts the latter when foot-plate is pressed downwardly by the switchman prior to changing the position of the switch.

The hand-lever B1 B2 by which the shaft is partially rotated is in two portions each having a boss, B3 B1, loosely encircling the overhung end of the shaft B and notched radially as at b 291 to receive a lug B5 set radially in the shaft; each notch is long enough to aifordA a carefully determined amount of lost motion, and the opposed engaging faces b2, b2, of the notches presented toward the lug are so placed `as to grip the latter between themA `when both arms of the lever are extended side by side, as shown in Figs. l and 4, and by grasping both arms as' one and swinging both to the position indicated in Fig. 3, or completely over, the shaft B- is turned to the other extreme of its arc of 2000, and by separating the arms and allowing them to lie in opposite directions asin Fig. 2, the lost motion due to Vthe length of the notches causes the shaft to be turned through a portion of its arc to an intermediate position. The arms of the lever are weighted to insure descent and the full operation of the mechanism in any of the three positions.

The full lines in Fig. l to 13 inclusive, show the shaft and its connections in the normal or first straight condition of the switches and frog-points as indicated in Fig. l. lThe dogs E vE1 are engaged with the cavities l Z2 of the; slides and are held therein by the circular portions of the cams E2 E2, and the locking-lever F1 is engaged in the notch f ofthe disk F.l The slides are both at the eXtreme left end of their throw, and through the connecting-rods M,M1 and M2 and T-levers N, N1 and N2 the end-'points L L1, L2 L3 and O G1, O2 O2, with the frog-` points R B1 and S S1 are held in position toV allow the passage of trains diagonally across as indicated by the arrows in Fig. l. A

By grasping the inner arm B1 of the switch-lever alone `and throwing it completely over, orl by raising both arms to the vertical and allowing them to separate and fall by gravity, one onl each side, and at the same time pressing upon the foot-plate to release lthe'locking-lever F1 from the disk F, the shaft is partially rotated to a position at which the cut-away portion of the cam E2 is presented above the dog E, and the teeth of the pinion D engage the rackC2 and throw the slide C to the full extent in the opposite direction, which through the connecting-rod M and T-lever N, moves the sufficiently to hold it reliably, and the notch f1 of the disk F -is engaged by the lockinglever F1. During this operation the other slide C1 has remained stationary but the teeth of the pinion D1 have advanced ready to engage its rack, and the cam E3 sufficiently to be about ready to release the dog E1 on a further movement in the same direction.

By grasping the lever arm B2 and throwing it completely over alongside its mate B1, the dog E1 is released by the cut-away por-` tion of the cam E3, the rack C3 is engaged by the teeth of the pinion D1, and the slide L C1 thus thrown to its extreme opposite posi! tion, andthrough its connecting-rods M1 M2,

moves the end-points L L1, L2 L3 and O 01, O2 O3 to the positions yshown in Fig. 3, the frog-points remaining as before, in which position trains may travel in both directions over the curved ways of the slip, as indicated by the arrows. During this change the slide C and its connections remain stationary with'` its notch Z1 still engaged by the dog E and held by the circular portion of its cam E2 while the teeth of the pinion D are advanced idly out of mesh with the rack C2.

The switch-points may be thrown from the first position, Fig. l, to the third position, Fig. 3, by grasping both arms of the lever and throwing them both completely over, and the switches can be thrown directly to any of the three positions from any other position, and automatically released and re-l locked. In all changesit is necessary lirst to depress the foot-plate G2 and release'the t locking-lever F1. i

The toothed segmental portions of the y i pinions D D1 and the cut-away portions E1 E5 of the cams E2 E3 are of such lengths and so located angularlyin advance one of the other, as to permit the above described move-` ments ofthe slides, and engagement and disengagement automatically of the locking-f dogs with the slides. v i To avoid disarrangement of the apparatus by the accidental runningI through `of the frog-points or other cause. the caps A3 A3 off the shaft bearings are ma de designedly weak are 'inexpensive and may be easily and quickly replaced, thusl greatly reducing thedamage and inconvenience caused by this common form of accident.l

It will be noted that the connecting-rods y M1 M? extendfrom both ends of the slide C1,

While only one end of the slide C is lthus connected,`malring the required three points of connection and leaving one end of the slide C free; this arrangement permits the'stand to' be reversedfandV connected as may be found necessary or desirable for convenience of location and operation. l

lThe switch-stand is low andthe leverarms in all three positions lie close to the ground, thus permitting the passage of contact-shoes of electric trains Without interference, and the positions ofthe switches are plainly indicated by the positions of the arms relatively to eachother and to the box,

thus lessening the rdanger of misplacement. The automatic lock and release of the slides insures complete movement and correct positions. v

I claim Y 1..In an apparatus of the character set forth, a shaft, segmental pinions thereon having the teeth of one in advance angularly of the other, a slide for each of said pinions, having racks adapted to be engaged With such teeth to move said slides, means for partially rotating said'shaft, and a plurality of switch-points and connections to the latter from said slides.

2. In an apparatus of thecharacter set forth, a shaft, segmental pinions thereon having the vteeth of one in advance angularly of the other, a slide for each of said pinions,V

' having racks adapted to be engaged With such teeth to move said slides, means for par-` tially rotating said shaft, a plurality of switch-points and connections from the latter to said slides, and means actuated by the movement of said shaft for automatically locking and releasing said slides.

3. In an apparatus of the character set forth, a shaft, segmental pinions thereon having the teeth of one in advance angularly of the other, a slide for each of saidpinions,

having racks adapted to be engaged With such teeth to move said slides, means for partially Arotating said shaft, a plurality of switch-points and connections to said switchpoints from said slides, and a locking means rfor said shaft arranged to require manual operation to release said shaft priorto a movement of the latter. Y

et. In an apparatus of the character set forth, a shaft, a plurality of switch-points,

means actuated by the partial rotation of said shaftfor moving such points, a tWopart lever loosely mounted on said shaft and having its-arms arranged' tov lieside .by side to 'be thrown as, one, `vor separated ,to be thrown'separately, alug on said shaft,and

a notch in each lof such arms, adapted to engagesaid lug andlthereby partially'rotatel said shaft. .n y

5. In an apparatus of the character set forth, a shaft, segmental pinions thereon ,having theteeth'of one in advance angular-ly of the other, a slide for each of said pinions,

havingracks adapted to be engaged With such teeth to move said slides, movable dogs arranged to lock` and release said slides,

means for `partially rotating said s haft, a plurality'of switch-points, connections to kthe latter from said slides, and means actuated by said shaft for automatically holding 'said dogs inV engagement with said slides.

and permitting their-disengagement therefrom.k

-61 Inpan apparatus of the character set forth, a shaft, a longitudinally movable slide vactuated by the partial rotation of said shaft, said slide having. cavities therein, a vertically movable dog adapted to engage said cavities and lock said slide, a cam on said shaft adapted to hold said dog in engagement, and to permit its disengagement, and connections from said slide to a switchpoint. f l

7. Inan apparatus of the character set forth, a shaft, segmental pinions thereon having the teeth of one in advance angularly of the other, a slide for each of said pinions, having racks adapted `to 'be engaged With such teeth to move said slides transversely of saidv shaft, said slides hav-` ing cavities therein, vertically 'swinging dogs arranged to engage said cavities, cams on said shaft having cut-away portions, and .arranged with the cut-away portion of one in advance angularly of the other, said cams adapted to engage said dogs and hold them in engagement With such cavities, and to release said dogs by the presentation of 'such ioo iiov

cut-away portions thereto, means for pary tially rotating said shaft, a plurality of switch-points, and connections to the latter from said slides.

8. In an apparatus of the character set forth, a box, a horizontally disposed shaft mounted therein, segmental pinions on said shaft, longitudinally movable slides beneath said shaft, having racks adapted to be engaged by the teeth of said pinions, means for locking said slides against movement, bearings for said shaft, and relatively fragile caps for said bearings, adapted to break under excessive strain and permit said shaft to rise in said bearings, a plurality of switchpoints, and connectionsto the latter from said slides.

9. In an apparatus of the character set forth, a horizontally disposed shaft, a plurality of switch-points, means actuated by thepartial rotation of said shaft to three positions for correspondingly setting said points, a lug on said shaft, a `two-part lever loosely lmounted `on said shaft and having itwo parallel arms, each of saidfarms having a notch adapted to engage said lug, said arms constructed and arranged to engage said lug and lie side hy side'approximately horizontally in oneposition of said shaft and points, to lie side by sideand approximately horizontally in the opposite direction in a secondvposition of said shaft and points, and to be separated and lie eX-` pinions, having racks adapted to be engaged with such teeth to move said slides 'transversely of said shaft, said slides hav-A ing V-shaped cavities therein, vertically swinging dogs arranged to engage such cav-` ities automatically, kcams on said shaft,`

adapted to hold said dogs in engagement in ysaid cavities and to release them from such#` engagement, a diskV on said shaft having notches in its periphery, a locking-lever ar" ranged to engage automatically with one` of said notches presented to said locking` lever, meansr for partially rotating said" shaft, 4manually operated means for disen- I g'aging said locking-lever from said disk,`

and a plurality of switch-points and conf,

nections therefrom to said slides.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I afIiX mysignature, in presy ence of 'two Witnesses.

Vitnesses CHARLES R. SEARLE, HELEN V. RICE.

Copies of this patent may 'be' obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

ADOLF V. SCHARWENKA. l 

